O/T -- Twenty years ago....
Knuckle Bandage Sales Rep
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,676
Likes: 1,245
From: Maine
Yep, someone started this frenzy in late summer of 1999 and it just got to the point where you didn't know who to believe. Maine had a bad ice storm in 1998 and we lost power for 11 days in January. That totally was a bummer and I didn't want it to happen in January 2000. So I went to BJ's Discount store and bought a $400 6,000 watt gas powered generator in September of 1999.
The generator was never needed when the clocks rolled over to 2000, but it has been a reliable addition to my garage ever since. Still starts on the 2nd pull and provides enough power to keep everything important going in my house. 20 years ago, huh? Man, how time flies.
The generator was never needed when the clocks rolled over to 2000, but it has been a reliable addition to my garage ever since. Still starts on the 2nd pull and provides enough power to keep everything important going in my house. 20 years ago, huh? Man, how time flies.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 83
From: Utah
Oh ya, hard to believe its been 20 years already. I recall all the hype about it with our GPS recievers at the time. Also the very first GPS week rollover happened in August of 1999 (it was the first time the rollover happened since the Gps week counter was started in 1980). Alot of people were not sure if their recievers would work properly once the counter started over, even with firmware updates.
good times!
I tend to watch the solar weather occasionally, watching for solar flares etc. Yep. Im a geek.
good times!
I tend to watch the solar weather occasionally, watching for solar flares etc. Yep. Im a geek.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,680
Likes: 1,251
From: Jefferson City, MO
I remember all our COBOL programmers working hard to update all our applications.
I always laughed at all the hysteria. I mean, why would the power grid care what year it is?
The movies were so funny, I don't think I watched any but the trailers were ridiculous.
I recall a movie rental place showing something 100 years overdue, but that was about it.
I always laughed at all the hysteria. I mean, why would the power grid care what year it is?
The movies were so funny, I don't think I watched any but the trailers were ridiculous.
I recall a movie rental place showing something 100 years overdue, but that was about it.
Trending Topics
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,882
Likes: 3,126
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Right about the same time people realized hundreds of thousand s of preordered tomb stones had (date of birth) to 19__ carved into them.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,915
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
I remember all our COBOL programmers working hard to update all our applications.
I always laughed at all the hysteria. I mean, why would the power grid care what year it is?
The movies were so funny, I don't think I watched any but the trailers were ridiculous.
I recall a movie rental place showing something 100 years overdue, but that was about it.
I always laughed at all the hysteria. I mean, why would the power grid care what year it is?
The movies were so funny, I don't think I watched any but the trailers were ridiculous.
I recall a movie rental place showing something 100 years overdue, but that was about it.
Come on PRINTERS!
Did make good money back then.
Dave ----
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 150
From: High Ridge, MO
My father-in-law passed away 12/31/1999 after a tough battle with cancer. We tried to make humor that he couldn't stand the thought of the Y2K debacle that would ensue the next day. Wish he was still here!
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Southern SC.
I started and owned a computer service bureau and the subject came up everyday in our production meetings. We do circulation fulfillment for magazines and it is all date related. One of the programers said a simple fix would be to start the year date table at 50 and go to 49. It would give us another 50 years to figure out a fix and by then we were sure it would have been done. An hour of programming and the table was set. Worked just fine and we never missed a beat and it didn’t cost a fortune the way some companies were spending on the problem.
Have fun
Have fun
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
I worked as a programming analyst for a large insurance company. I couldn't tell you how many hours I spent making Y2K changes expanding 2 position year fields into 4 position fields. It was like the original programmers expected the century to remain 19 something forever...